Latest news with #Landgraf
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Rob McElhenney and the ‘It's Always Sunny' gang didn't want Danny DeVito to join the record-setting sitcom (exclusive book excerpt)
It's safe to say it wasn't always sunny behind the scenes of a certain beloved sitcom. In her new book, It's (Almost) Always Sunny in Philadelphia: How Three Friends Spent $200 to Create the Longest-Running Live-Action Sitcom in History and Help Build a Network, Gold Derby contributor Kim Potts traces the strange but true history of the show as it prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary. More from Gold Derby As 'The Bear' gets picked up for another season, it sinks to 4th place in our Emmy predictions: Behind the free fall Everything to know about 'The Devil Wears Prada' sequel as filming begins: Who's coming back, who's out, and who's new The brainchild of Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton (collectively known as RCG), It's Always Sunny, which premiered on FX on Aug. 4, 2005, introduced "The Gang," a gaggle of self-centered miscreants running a South Philly dive bar. Potts recounts the low-budget origins of the show, how RCG joined together to craft the pilot and assemble the team, and, in the exclusive excerpt below, how its most famous cast member, Danny DeVito, wasn't quite welcomed with open arms when he joined in the second season. Potts sets up the tale. *** In this excerpt, I write about the role then-president of FX (now chairman of FX Networks) John Landgraf played in bringing Danny DeVito to It's Always Sunny. Landgraf, affectionately known as 'the Mayor of Television' in entertainment media circles, believed DeVito's comedy track record and personal sense of humor made him the perfect A-list candidate to help bolster attention for the then-struggling, low-budget It's Always Sunny. When he pitched the idea to RCG, the response he received left him more than a little surprised. An ultimatum, it seemed, was in order… When Landgraf was hired as the president of entertainment at FX in 2004, The Shield, the network's first breakout series, was already a hit. Michael Chiklis had already won a Best Actor Emmy and a Golden Globe Award for the gritty cop drama's first season. The Shield premiered in 2002 with close to 5 million viewers, and for all of Season 2, it dipped below 3 million just a couple of times. By Season 3, Landgraf 's first at the network, The Shield managed to reach 3 million viewers only once out of 15 episodes. But Landgraf didn't panic. He planned. His solution to the ratings spill: injecting some new blood into the Strike Team, the largely rogue and corrupt Los Angeles police division the series revolved around. But not just anyone would do — Landgraf envisioned A-list talent. At the top of his wish list: Emmy winner and, by then, five-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close. FX was specifically concerned with the dwindling numbers for The Shield's female viewership, and Landgraf and his team were certain Close could help bring them back. Not really expecting her to be interested in a lead role on a basic-cable television series, Landgraf 's office nevertheless reached out to her representatives, who thought it was an interesting idea. So Landgraf, Fox entertainment chairman Peter Liguori, and The Shield creator Shawn Ryan flew to New York, where they spent three hours at Close's Charles Street condo in the West Village, pitching her a lead role on the drama. 'She is as challenging and inspiring as you would expect, peppering us with questions,' Liguori said of the meeting. By the time the trio landed back in L.A., they had gotten the news that Glenn Close was ready to sign on to play new precinct captain Monica Rawling. Her one year on the series earned her lead actress Emmy and Golden Globe nominations and increased the Season 4 ratings by 21 percent over the previous year's numbers. Which got Landgraf thinking... why wouldn't that work for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia? Sure, it was a comedy, not one of FX's signature dramas. And Sunny was still a new show, with seven episodes in total to its name, while The Shield had 39 episodes for viewers to get to know the characters and actors who portrayed them. Still, Landgraf had the perfect A-lister in mind to add to The Gang, and unlike the blind shot he took with The Shield, his potential new Sunny star was already a close personal friend and former professional partner. *** Landgraf's last job before joining FX was as a founding partner of Jersey Television, the production company behind, most notably, Reno 911!, the mockumentary-style spoof of Cops. The series, which initially ran on Comedy Central for six seasons, revolved around the outrageous, hapless officers of the sheriff 's department in Reno, Nevada, and the equally outrageous, hapless characters they ran into on the job. One Season 2 episode, called 'Not Without My Mustache,' included two sheriffs helping a teenager lose his virginity with a prostitute, a pair of incestuous siblings trying to dry hump in the back of a sheriff 's car, and another sheriff losing a testicle, as had been predicted by a psychic the day before. Reno 911! was created by Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, and Kerri Kenney (now Kenney-Silver). Its cast was a who's who of some of the best comedy actors working on TV, including the creators, Niecy Nash (now Niecy Nash-Betts), Cedric Yarbrough, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Carlos Alazraqui, with a deep bench of guest stars rivaling several iterations of Saturday Night Live casts. Landgraf was an executive producer on Reno 911!, and therein lies a possible hint as to why he found It's Always Sunny so appealing from the first time he saw the DIY pilot. Just as McElhenney has often said a major motivation for creating Sunny was 'desperation,' as it was a way for him, Day, and Howerton to create work for themselves, Thomas Lennon and company were similarly driven. When a pilot Lennon, Kenney-Silver, and Garant wrote for Fox was canceled as it was about to be filmed, they asked network execs if they could apply the unused portion of the budget to make a pilot for a new series, which became Reno 911! Fox passed on it, too, and it would be two more years be- fore Comedy Central premiered it, in 2003. There is a commonality between the Sunny and Reno creators, of comedy sensibilities and of being proactive and making their own creative opportunities. Other commonalities between Sunny and Reno 911!: the incestuous brother and sister in 'Not Without My Mustache' were played by Day and Ellis, before Sunny, and before they were married in real life. And Landgraf was a cofounder of Jersey Television with his good friend Danny DeVito, the A-lister he thought would make a great addition to the second season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. *** Landgraf knew the outrageous, taboo-poking comedy was right in line with DeVito's own comedy tastes and personal sense of humor, and he was just as confident that McElhenney, Day, and Howerton could write a character that DeVito would find worthy of his time and talents. Landgraf sent DeVito the Season 1 episodes and wasn't totally surprised to find his friend had already seen them. His kids with his wife, Rhea Perlman — Lucy, Grace, and Jake — were big fans and had turned their father on to the series. DeVito was interested in knowing more. Landgraf's next step, a pro forma one he was sure, was to share his idea with RCG. Their reception to adding DeVito to the mix was... unexpected. They said no. Not because they had any doubt about DeVito's talent, obviously. McElhenney in particular was a devoted TV junkie throughout his childhood. He was especially a fan of classic comedies like Family Ties, Cheers, and Taxi. One of the greatest sitcom moments ever, he believed, was from the Taxi pilot, 'Like Father, Like Daughter.' DeVito's character, Louie De Palma, a dispatcher and supervisor for the Sunshine Cab Company, was arguing with his employees when he stepped from the caged office he worked in, revealing to the audience that this belligerent, aggressive man was a foot shorter than the five people standing in front of him. DeVito had built up such a body of work on television (his Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning performance on Taxi), in movies (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Golden Globe–nominated Ruthless People, and Matilda), as a producer (Oscar winners Pulp Fiction and Erin Brockovich), and as a director (The War of the Roses and Throw Momma from the Train) that he had earned a status as nothing less than a Hollywood legend. In spite of all that, and somewhat because of it, McElhenney, Day, and Howerton told their boss that they were not interested in adding DeVito to their show. They knew his work but not his personality or his work habits. What if he came in and threw his experience, his accolades, and his connection to Landgraf around the set? What if he joined the cast and tried to interfere with the creative authority they'd established and sacrificed for? What if he came in and disrupted the chemistry that RCG and Olson had built so quickly during their brief first season? That was just too big of a risk to take. FX executives had shown themselves to be pleased enough with Season 1, and optimistic about the prospects for Season 2, so as the executive producers saw the situation, it was best to leave the cast the way it was. In that case, Landgraf told them, he was no longer interested in airing their series on his network. Umm, wait…, they replied. So when can we meet with Danny DeVito? Season 17 of It's Always Sunny premieres July 9 on FXX and streams July 10 on Hulu. It's (Almost) Always Sunny in Philadelphia by Kim Potts is now available at major booksellers. Best of Gold Derby Cristin Milioti, Amanda Seyfried, Michelle Williams, and the best of our Emmy Limited Series/Movie Actress interviews Paul Giamatti, Stephen Graham, Cooper Koch, and the best of our Emmy Limited Series/Movie Actor interviews Lee Jung-jae, Adam Scott, Noah Wyle, and the best of our Emmy Drama Actor interviews Click here to read the full article.
Irish Examiner
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
French star Louise Landgraf seals Flogas Irish Women's Amateur Open Championship glory
French teenager Louise Landgraf said it was a breakthrough victory as she secured the Flogas Irish Women's Amateur Open Championship after a stunning finale in Headfort. The 16-year-old from Golf Club de Toulouse shot another round of 69 to finish up on -9, four shots clear of her nearest rival, Welsh golfer Carys Worby (Newport Links). Landgraf and Worby were the only two players to finish under par with another French, Kirra St-Laurent (Biarritz Le Phare), rounding out the top three on +1. Anna Dawson (Tramore) was the best of the Irish after she posted a round of 70 on Monday, with Hannah Lee-McNamara (Royal Portrush) two shots in arrears and Aideen Walsh (Lahinch) one further back on +5. But it was Landgraf who sealed a precious victory and she will take plenty of inspiration from last year's winner Anna Dawson, who has since gone on to play in the Ladies European Tour. 'The course is really nice and I definitely can tick this one off the list and move on to the next but it's been an amazing tournament,' said Landgraf. 'She (Worby) definitely kept me on my toes on the front nine and she's a great player and she definitely put a lot of pressure on so well deserved to her too. I was really stressed and there was a lot of pressure but I just tried to play my own game and stay focused and have fun. 'I've been struggling the past couple months so finally to have this breakthrough is great for my confidence and great for the next tournament. 'I'm really happy with how I played and I'm just going to continue what I'm doing.' Landgraf took a one-shot lead into the final day ahead of Worby, and while their playing partner St-Laurent fell back with a double-bogey on the second, it was left for Landgraf and Worby to battle it out at the top of the standings. The Welsh golfer had three birdies in her first five holes but a bogey at seven halted her momentum and she would drop two more shots coming in at 13 and 17. There was a two-shot swing on the first, when Landgraf bogeyed, but birdies on five, seven and ten helped her retain the ascendency. And she was imperious on the back nine with three birdies and just the one bogey. Dawson provided the biggest Irish challenge, and despite a bogey on the first she pushed on with birdies on the second, fourth and 12th. She shot a brilliant round of 70 but it wasn't enough to breach the top-three while Langraf consolidated her power at the top. The French youngster will be playing Junior Vagliano later this week where she will line out against Irish star Lee-McNamara and confidence is high after she produced her best golf in front of the biggest crowds of the weekend in Headfort. 'It's definitely a lot of eyes staring at you at one time, so you definitely have that added pressure as well as trying to score your best and not try to disappoint the crowd but I played great out there and put on a good show, so hopefully they're happy,' said Landgraf. 'I like to stay in my own game, in my own little bubble but to have them there was really special. He (Dad) obviously does so many things for me so it's great to share this victory with him.'
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Landgraf's food truck freedom bill heads to Governor's desk
NOTE: The video above first aired on March 6, 2025. AUSTIN (KMID/KPEJ)- Legislation by State Representative Brooks Landgraf to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles for food truck owners across Texas has cleared both chambers of the Texas Legislature and is now headed to Governor Greg Abbott's desk to be signed into law. House Bill 2844 creates a single, statewide health permit for food trucks issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). This new system replaces the confusing patchwork of local health permits and duplicative inspections that currently burden mobile food vendors operating in multiple jurisdictions. 'Food truck owners shouldn't have to jump through a different set of hoops every time they cross a city limit,' Landgraf said. 'This bill provides a consistent, statewide framework for health permitting—cutting red tape while keeping food safety standards strong.' HB 2844 ensures that mobile food vendors are held to uniform, high health standards without being subjected to redundant local regulations. At the same time, the bill preserves local control by allowing cities to continue enforcing rules on where, when, and how food trucks operate—such as zoning restrictions, hours of operation, and proximity to events or schools. 'This is a big win for Texas small business owners, especially the hard-working entrepreneurs running food trucks in our communities,' Landgraf said. 'Instead of spending thousands of dollars on repetitive permits and unnecessary fees, food truck owners will be able to reinvest that money into growing their business—upgrading equipment, hiring more staff, and expanding their operations.' Landgraf filed the Food Truck Freedom bill at the request of several food truck operators in Odessa and Monahans. State Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) sponsored the bill in the Senate. The bill received overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers and is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, following the creation of the statewide permit by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas Senate gives preliminary OK to House Bill 2
May 23—AUSTIN — The Texas Senate has given preliminary approval to House Bill 2 to fund public schools and raise teacher and staff pay, according to a Facebook post from State Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa. HB 2, which Landgraf co-authored, is an $8.5 billion increase in funding for Texas public schools, and it has been this year's legislative priority for the Texas House. The Senate has to vote on final passage May 23. "I'm proud to support it, and am grateful that the Senate has now passed it. This is an investment in our students, and by extension the future of Texas. Teachers need pay raises, and this provides $4.2 billion into teachers' pockets," Landgraf said in the post. For those who had concerns about education savings accounts, this is the pro-public education counterbalance to that, he wrote. "I look forward to one more vote to send HB 2 to the governor's desk. This record-breaking funding, combined with scrapping the STAAR exam, would make this the best legislative session for Texas public schools in my lifetime. I'm ready to make it happen, and Texas students, teachers and parents deserve nothing less," he said. Details included in the new version of HB 2 are: — $8.5 billion in new funding, the largest single increase in public education funding in Texas history. — $4.2 billion for record permanent teacher and staff pay raises. — $1.3 billion in Allotment for Basic Costs (ABC) to assist districts with expenses like insurance, utilities, and TRS contributions. — $2 billion to update special education formulas and fund full-day pre-K, early learning interventions, and Career & Technical Education (CTE). — $430 million for school safety. Under the new law, Ector County ISD would gain $21,456,765 in fiscal year 2026, information from Landgraf said. In fiscal year 2027, it would gain $25, 241,964. Dallas Kennedy, a special education teacher at the Transition Learning Center, said Thursday he was glad to see that they provided money for raises for all staff. He added that $4.2 billion was allotted for teacher raises and another $500 million for all other staff. "While selfishly I loved the idea of getting a raise, I was more worried about the bus drivers and paraprofessionals getting raises," Kennedy said. He added that ECISD "has done a great job stretching every penny they had, but they were out of pennies to stretch. Hopefully this bill will help the district balance it's budget."
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Female exec 'sacked from £220k job for getting drunk at work trip to Austria' lost her room key and showed 'concerning' behaviour after 'drinking heavily', 'tech bro' CEO tells tribunal
A high-flying female executive who claims she was sacked for getting drunk on a work trip in Austria was 'drinking heavily' and 'clearly more intoxicated than others', her boss has told an employment tribunal. Shannon Burns - who was on £220,000 a year - is suing for sex discrimination after complaining of the rampant 'tech bro' culture at the 'male-dominated' firm that hired her. But the CEO of Gitpod, Johannes Landgraf, claims she displayed 'concerning' behaviour - including losing her room key and having to stay in a sauna room. He said she also lost her iPad and AirPods - and looked 'disheveled' the morning after. Mr Landgraf told an employment tribunal he had a shot of a 'Swiss pine liquor' with 'trailblazing' Ms Burns - then saw her pour herself a 'large glass of wine', before proceeding to get more drunk than anyone. The tech boss disputed allegations made by Ms Burns that she was fired at his company for her behaviour on at the work trip despite her inebriated male colleagues not facing punishment. He said Ms Burns, a vice president of engineering at Gitpod, was fired because she was not a 'leader'. Birmingham Employment Tribunal heard she had been headhunted and took on her job with the promise of a six figure salary and an equity package potentially worth over £30million. But soon after joining in January 2023, Ms Burns said she became aware of a problematic culture. She said she had heard Mr Landgraf had a reputation of being a 'Tech Bro who liked to surround himself with fellow tech bros', the tribunal was told. She added it was a 'male dominated' company. At the centre of the tribunal hearing was an 'off-site' work trip in Lofer, Austria, in April 2023. Ms Burns said Mr Landgraf offered her a shot and he had 'several drinks' by this point and was 'slurring his words and struggling to stand'. Ms Burns said she was invited to partake in a 'game' which involved asking 'difficult' questions to one another about work. The executive said the line of questioning from Mr Landgraf implied that she was not doing her job adequately. She alleged that following trip she was sacked for getting too drunk in Austria despite other males getting more drunk than her. Now, Mr Landgraf has told the tribunal he 'does not accept her versions of events'. In a joint statement with Gitpod's Head of People Eva Hyder presented to the tribunal, he said: 'At the last night of the Lofer offsite, 5 April 2023, Shannon approached Johannes at the bar where they each had a shot of Swiss pine liquor, an Alpine speciality. 'Johannes recalls that their conversation started with friendly small talk, but it soon became obvious to Johannes that Shannon had already been drinking heavily. 'Johannes's recollection of the conversation differs from that Shannon gives... Shannon initiated a question and answer process and then changed tone abruptly asking Johannes how people could earn his trust. 'She then stated to Johannes in an emotional outburst that she felt he didn't trust her, asked why and asked how she could earn his trust. 'There then followed a broad conversation regarding expectations. 'The conversation finished, Shannon moved away, and Johannes then saw Shannon pour herself a large glass of wine but otherwise had no contact with her for the rest of the evening. 'Shannon has stated... she was intoxicated but no more so than other colleagues. 'Johannes agrees that he and many team members had consumed alcohol, but notes Shannon was clearly more intoxicated than others. 'The next morning, shuttle buses had been booked to take team members to the station and airport. 'Mike [Brevoort, chief product officer] recalls that Shannon's team members were waiting with the airport shuttle having loaded their bags. 'Mike was stepping out of the hotel when Shannon's room mate came to say Shannon would be late as Shannon was still packing and had lost her iPad and AirPods and had locked herself out of the room (the second such similar event). 'Shannon eventually emerged from the hotel dishevelled and visibly stressed some 20 minutes later. 'Shannon subsequently confirmed to Mike that she had misplaced her iPad and AirPods, had locked herself out of her room and had needed to sleep in the sauna room.' Mr Landgraf and the other respondents denied that there was a 'tech bro' environment. The statement said there had been performance concerns with Ms Burns since she joined. It said: 'Shannon had fallen far short of the performance expected from a Vice President. 'She had never transitioned from being the manager she had been in previous roles elsewhere into being a leader, taking ownership of matters. 'Shannon didn't deliver on time and needed help from others to deliver late. 'She required many hours of support and coaching each week...' Ms Burns was told that 'sleeping in a sauna area and being late for the shuttle was concerning' but her behaviour in Austria was not the reason for her dismissal, according to the Gitpod response statement. It added: 'Shannon was not dismissed or treated less favourably in any other way because she is a woman. 'She was not dismissed because she was drunk at Lofer... No team member has ever been dismissed for being drunk. 'Shannon was dismissed for the performance-related reasons described above.' Ms Burns - who has ADHD and dyslexia - also seeks claims of disability discrimination. The hearing continues.
